• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Viewpoints Radio

Viewpoints Radio

Award-winning reporting on current issues featuring America's leading experts.

  • Home
  • Archive
    • Full Segment Archive
    • Advanced Search
    • Filters
    • Recent Segments
    • Segment Finder (Sort & Filter)
    • Segment Type
      • Culture Crash
      • Feature Stories
      • Inside Looks
    • Terms
      • Books & Publications
      • Genres
      • Guests
      • Institutions & Organizations
      • Movies, TV & Digital Media
      • Notable Figures
      • Program Numbers
      • Topics
  • How to Listen
    • Podcast & Digital Outlets
    • Terrestrial Broadcast
    • Ways to Listen Overview
  • About
    • About Viewpoints Radio
    • Contact Us
    • FAQ
    • Our Team
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Login
    • Become an Affiliate
    • Benefits of Being an Affiliate
    • More About Syndicated Radio Programming
    • Public Affairs & FCC Requirements FAQ
    • Sample Programs
culture crash - radio segments

Culture Crash: A New Future for Comic Book Movies

For a decade now, it seemed like comic book movies had settled in to an existence based on these larger cinematic universes. Now, Spider-Man and The Joker are proving comic stories can have their cake and eat it, too.

You are here: Home / Archive / Culture Crash / Culture Crash: A New Future for Comic Book Movies
Published: January 27, 2019 by VPR Producer


Welcome to Culture Crash, where we examine American culture – what’s new and old in entertainment…

The comic book movie landscape appears to be transforming. It’s no secret that comic book movies absolutely dominate at the box office; Last year, the top-grossing movie in the U.S. was Black Panther, while number two was Avengers: Infinity War. And, at the global box office, those two were also the front-runners, their places were just flipped. 2018 additionally saw smash successes in Aquaman, Venom, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

And it’s that last one that may show us the comic book movie’s way forward. Spider-Verse was released in December and has made over $300 million worldwide. The movie is groundbreaking and fun and truly something unique in a field that can often feel too cookie-cutter. But here’s something a little odd about the movie: it was released right between 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and the forthcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home… but it has nothing to do with either of them. Spider-Man now has two full-fledged film franchises running simultaneously, one of which is populated itself with many different Spider-heroes.

And Spidey isn’t alone! This year will see WB and DC release Joker, which will star Joaquin Phoenix as Batman’s nemesis, the Joker… but is not related to Heath Leger’s iconic turn in The Dark Knight or Jared Leto’s less beloved take on the character in Suicide Squad. And, oh yeah, the character has also appeared in The Lego Batman Movie franchise and the DCEU’s own line of animated films which don’t intersect.

Now, maybe we should have seen this coming. After all, comic books themselves often have overlapping timelines and unrelated story-lines running concurrently. But following the success of the MCU’s Avengers films, it seemed that comic movies had settled into this TV-like expansive universe storytelling. But now, the demand for comic book movies has exceeded the bounds of just one continuity at a time. More of these movies are coming, so many more coming. And of course, that might mean a glut of more middling blockbusters. But if these new franchises are all given the consideration and care that Spider-Verse got, well then that’s not a bad thing at all. So, here’s to hoping.


I’m Evan Rook.

Program #: 19-04segment type: Culture CrashTopics - Awards| Media and Entertainment| MoviesInstitutions - Warner BrothersMovies, TV & Digital Media - Aquaman| Avengers| Avengers: Infinity War| Black Panther| Joker| Lego Batman Movie| Spider-Man| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse| Suicide Squad| The Dark Knight| VenomNotable Names - Heath Leger| Jared Leto| Joaquin PhoenixGenres - Blockbusters| Comic Books/Comic Book Moviestagged with - Comic Book Movies| Comics| Evan Rook| movie franchise| superheros
  • 7Share on Facebook
  • 8Share on Twitter
  • 6Share on Instagram
  • 2Share on LinkedIn
  • 1Share on Reddit
  • 4Share on Pinterest
  • 16Share on Email

Related Segments:

culture crash - radio segments

Culture Crash: What’s a Comedy Award To Do When No Books Are Funny?

Culture Crash: The Evolution of Harry Styles

Culture Crash: The Year of Repetitive Sequels and Reboots

culture crash - radio segments

Culture Crash: Netflix’s Mindhunter

culture crash - radio segments

Culture Crash: Amazon Prime’s “Homecoming”

culture crash - radio segments

Culture Crash: Stephen King’s Mastery of Storytelling (2017)

Previous Post:China’s Family Policies & Their Impact on America
Next Post:Tips on Entrepreneurship

About VPR Producer

Since 2000, Viewpoints Radio has been bringing listeners the relevant information they crave in current events, literature, entertainment and more. Both Viewpoints Radio and sister show Radio Health Journal are productions of AURN.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay up-to-date on the latest in current events, public affairs, literature, culture, entertainment & more.

Enter your email address to get notifications & instant access to new Viewpoints Radio segments as they are released.

Start airing Viewpoints Radio on your platform to satisfy FCC OPIF requirements, including quarterly issues/programming reports.

Become an Affiliate

Connect

Interact with us by sharing comments, favorite segments, questions or even suggest a topic.

  • Facebook link
  • Twitter
  • Instagram link
  • Pinterest link
  • spotify link
  • YouTube link
  • RSS Feed
  • contact by email

American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) logo

Listen

  • Archive
  • Broadcast
  • Guests
  • Podcast & Digital Outlets
  • Recently Aired
  • Terms
  • Topics
  • Ways to Listen

Learn

  • About Us
  • Affiliates
  • Contact Info
  • FAQ
  • Our Team
  • Public Affairs & FCC Requirements
  • AURN.com
  • Sitemap

© Copyright 2022 – American Urban Radio Networks

↑ Return to top